10 of the Best Online Resources for Home Buyers

1. Hud.gov. This is the official website for the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development. The site offers some of the most comprehensive information on home ownership in the U.S. and discusses topics of interest to homebuyers including: shopping for loans, choosing a real estate agent, getting your home inspected, etc. The site also connects those looking to buy a home with free or low-cost housing counseling services in their area.
2. FreddieMac.com. If you click on the "About Home Ownership" tab, you will be able to access excellent information about mortgages, buying a home, owning a home, tips to avoid foreclosure, and even calculators and tools to help you determine the differences in cost between renting and owning a home. Freddie Mac is described as "one of America's biggest buyers of home mortgages" and as a "stockholder-owned corporation chartered by Congress in 1970 to keep money flowing to mortgage lenders in support of homeownership and rental housing."
3. CNNMoney.com. CNNMoney put together a helpful top 10 list of the things potential homeowners need to know when preparing to buy a house, such as why it's important to buy a home near good schools whether you have kids or not, and why you should get pre-approved for a loan before you begin house-hunting. Click here to check out the list.
4. HomeLoanLearningCenter.com. This helpful website is managed by the Mortgage Bankers Association and provides a really good overview of the financial side of buying a home. Topics include: how to qualify for a loan, what loan documents mean and what's in a mortgage payment. Plus, from the main site, you can take a look at a number of useful brochures, as well as the Center's Top 10 Tips for Home Buyers.
5. HGTV.com. This is the website for the Home & Garden TV channel. From this site, you can access archives of shows like Property Virgins and My First Place to watch real people's experiences buying homes for the first time and get helpful tips and tidbits about the home buying process.
6. First-time Buyer Central. This is the blog of a California-based REMAX realtor named Jeff Dowler who regularly provides general tips to first-time homebuyers, especially those in the San Diego area. Recent topics have included: the hidden costs of buying a home, the importance of your credit score in buying a home, and questions about homeowner's insurance.
7. NewHouseFlip.com. This website is an excellent resource for those who want to try their hand at "house flipping" or purchasing homes to improve and sell at a profit. Topics covered here include: finding a bargain on a home, evaluating a home, and renovation tips.
8. HouseLogic.com. This website is powered by the National Association of Realtors and contains helpful information that homebuyers will need after they make their purchase. The site hosts information about how to maintain, improve and remodel your home. 
9. Dwell.com. The website that accompanies the cutting edge magazine is a must-see for homebuyers who are looking for the coolest and most modern features in their homes. It is a great place to check out interior decorating ideas as well as view the most contemporary homes in the U.S. and around the world.
10. USInspect.com. Well, we can't overlook the U.S. Inspect Web site itself. It contains an educational section titled Resources For You that contains tons of useful information for home buyers. This area of the site features dozens of brief informational articles on different components of the home, including central air and heat, septic systems and garages. The site also includes a handy list of Frequently Asked Questions based on the queries received from actual home buyers. And of course there's the blog where you are currently and their new video library.

This guest post is contributed by Jessica Cortez, who writes on the topics of online degree programs. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: cortez.jessi23@gmail.com.